26% of the world's adults are anti-Semitic: study

A picture taken in January 1945 shows a group of children behind barbed wire fencing in the Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp. A new study found that two in three adults worldwide have either never heard of the Holocaust or deny historical accounts.

To measure anti-Semitic feelings, researchers asked adults in each surveyed country about 11 negative stereotypes about Jews. Stereotypes included "Jews have too much power in the business world" and "Jews are more loyal to Israel the countries they live in."

If a respondent said six or more of the stereotypes were "probably true," they were considered to hold anti-Semitic opinions.

The Anti-Defamation League has used a similar survey to measure anti-Semitic feelings in the U.S. for the last 50 years. This is the first worldwide survey of its kind, the group said.

According to this study, the Middle Eastern and North African countries are the most anti-Semitic — 74% of adults in that region agreed with at least six of the stereotypes.

Anti-Defamation League National Director Abraham H. Foxman said the study is the first of its kind.

(WCBS)

The West Bank and Gaza topped the list, with 93% of adults holding anti-Semitic views.

Iraq came in second at 92%, followed by Yemen, 88%, and Algeria, 87%.

On the other end, only 0.2% of adults in Laos have anti-Semitic opinions, the survey said.

According to the study, adult populations in the Philippines, Sweden and the Netherlands all had levels under 5%.

Nine percent of adults in the U.S. hold anti-Semitic opinions, the study found.

Other key findings: 74% of adults have never met a Jewish person and less than half of people 35 years old and younger have heard of the Holocaust.